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Black River Orchard

Title: Black River Orchard

Author: Chuck Wendig

Genre: Horror

Thank you, NetGalley, for this book. In my effort to read all the Stokercon final ballot books, I was pleased to see I had this one on my Kindle. I’m a big fan of Wendig’s work (see The Book of Accidents and Wanderers ) and was excited to read his newest.

I had no idea what this book was about when I read it. The fact that it was a Stoker nominee was a pretty good selling point, though. The story is told from multiple third-person perspectives: a teenage girl (Calla), a wife in a same-sex marriage, a wife in an open marriage, and a wandering man. Calla’s dad has created a new apple and soon the entire town is eating it, craving it, and will do anything to get it. Those who don’t eat the apple are witnessing terrible changes in their loved ones and friends.

This book is long, but it never felt too long. The plot is tightly written and the characters shine. Wendig is a master storyteller. I absolutely loved this book.

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Maeve Fly

Title: Maeve Fly

Author: CJ Leede

Genre: horror

Thank you, NetGalley, for this book. Wow!! This book is super intense, and graphic, and I could not put it down. I loved it. This book is on the final Stoker ballot for best debut novel. I’ve read three of the books now (the others being The Spite House and Edenville) but this one was the best of them. I plan on reading the other two nominees as well, but I’m having a hard time thinking those will top this one.

Maeve is Princess Elsa at Disneyworld. She lives with her grandma, Princess Anna (played by Kate) is her best friend, but Maeve has a dark side. Kate’s brother comes to town and becomes involved with Maeve, but little does he know when Maeve’s dark side comes out, bad things happen. This book is a modern-day take on American Psycho. It’s definitely graphic, but nowhere near as bad as AP, which is one of the most difficult books I’ve ever had to read. I had to skim a lot of that one, but I was glued to Maeve and her intensity.

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The Spite House

Title: The Spite House

Author: Johnny Compton

Genre: horror

Thank you, NetGalley, for this book.

I love finding good horror books, but this one was just okay. Having every chapter be from a different narrator didn’t work. You ended up reading the same event but from another perspective, which was repetitive. However, if the book were third-person omniscient, that would be much less confusing. The story is also told in multiple timelines, adding to the jumble.

As for the plot, the story is fine. For some reason, Eric and his two daughters are on the run and need money. Eric finds a classified ad asking people to live in a haunted house and report what happens. Easy money. But, of course, it’s not as easy as you would think. The story isn’t just a basic haunted house story because it also involves events that occurred in the past and Eric’s family in the present.

I gave this one three starts because I did like the overall book but the multiple perspective narrators was so off-putting that I had a hard time getting past it.

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Such a Pretty Smile

Title: Such a Pretty Smile

Author: Kristi DeMeester

Genre: horror

Thank you, NetGalley, for this book.

I became aware of DeMeester from the Books in the Freezer podcast and have been meaning to read her for a while. When this one came on to NetGalley, I knew I would be reading it, and I couldn’t put this one down. I finished in 24 hours and was hooked the entire time. I absolutely loved this one and will be reading more of her work for sure.

From Goodreads: There’s something out there that’s killing. Known only as The Cur, he leaves no traces, save for the torn bodies of girls, on the verge of becoming women, who are known as trouble-makers; those who refuse to conform, to know their place. Girls who don’t know when to shut up.

2019: Thirteen-year-old Lila Sawyer has secrets she can’t share with anyone. Not the school psychologist she’s seeing. Not her father, who has a new wife, and a new baby. And not her mother—the infamous Caroline Sawyer, a unique artist whose eerie sculptures, made from bent twigs and crimped leaves, have made her a local celebrity. But soon Lila feels haunted from within, terrorized by a delicious evil that shows her how to find her voice—until she is punished for using it.

2004: Caroline Sawyer hears dogs everywhere. Snarling, barking, teeth snapping that no one else seems to notice. At first, she blames the phantom sounds on her insomnia and her acute stress in caring for her ailing father. But then the delusions begin to take shape—both in her waking hours, and in the violent, visceral sculptures she creates while in a trance-like state. Her fiancé is convinced she needs help. Her new psychiatrist waives her “problem” away with pills. But Caroline’s past is a dark cellar, filled with repressed memories and a lurking horror that the men around her can’t understand.

As past demons become a present threat, both Caroline and Lila must chase the source of this unrelenting, oppressive power to its malignant core. Brilliantly paced, unsettling to the bone, and unapologetically fierce, Such a Pretty Smile is a powerful allegory for what it can mean to be a woman, and an untamed rallying cry for anyone ever told to sit down, shut up, and smile pretty.

The mother/daughter bond this book explores is fantastic. Caroline and Lila are both such dynamic characters that you can’t help but root for both of them. I absolutely loved their dueling plots. And DeMeester manages to do something a lot of writers don’t. She makes both plotlines meaningful to one another. What happens to Caroline in the past, parallels Lina’s in the present. I thought this book was so well-written, overall, and will be recommending it to everyone.

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Jackal

Title: Jackal

Author: Erin E. Adams

Genre: Thriller/horror

Thank you, NetGalley, for this book.

When Liz Rocher goes back home for a friend’s wedding, her life gets turned upside down in the craziest of ways. I always love a well-written thriller, but the story also includes some horror elements, which is even better. The story revolves around missing Black girls, who the police basically ignore, but when Liz arrives, she begins to put some pieces together.

From Goodreads: It’s watching. Liz Rocher is coming home . . . reluctantly. As a Black woman, Liz doesn’t exactly have fond memories of Johnstown, Pennsylvania, a predominantly white town. But her best friend is getting married, so she braces herself for a weekend of awkward, passive-aggressive reunions. Liz has grown, though; she can handle whatever awaits her. But on the day of the wedding, somewhere between dancing and dessert, the couple’s daughter, Caroline, disappears—and the only thing left behind is a piece of white fabric covered in blood.

It’s taking. As a frantic search begins, with the police combing the trees for Caroline, Liz is the only one who notices a pattern: A summer night. A missing girl. A party in the woods. She’s seen this before. Keisha Woodson, the only other Black girl in Liz’s high school, walked into the woods with a mysterious man and was later found with her chest cavity ripped open and her heart removed. Liz shudders at the thought that it could have been her, and now, with Caroline missing, it can’t be a coincidence. As Liz starts to dig through the town’s history, she uncovers a horrifying secret about the place she once called home. Children have been going missing in these woods for years. All of them Black. All of them girls.

It’s your turn. With the evil in the forest creeping closer, Liz knows what she must do: find Caroline or be entirely consumed by the darkness.

I really enjoyed this book, and it definitely left me guessing. And there’s an element to this book that I absolutely won’t reveal because it would ruin so much. That said, I was pleasantly surprised by it, and Adams did an excellent job leading the reader to that reveal. Overall, four stars for this one, and I will be recommending it for sure!

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The Violence

Title: The Violence

Author: Delilah S. Dawson

Genre: horror dystopian

Thank you, NetGalley, for this book.

Dystopia is my favorite book genre. I’ve burned through the classics, so I’m excited whenever a new one comes out. And the fact that this one is also horror makes for the perfect combination. What I loved most about this book was that it was not only a great plot but an excellent study of human nature.

From Goodreads: When Chelsea Martin kisses her husband hello at the door of their perfect home, a chilled bottle of beer in hand and dinner on the table, she may look like the ideal wife, mother, and homemaker—but in fact she’s following an unwritten rulebook, carefully navigating David’s stormy moods in a desperate nightly bid to avoid catastrophe. If family time doesn’t go exactly how David wants, bad things happen—to Chelsea and the couple’s seventeen-year-old daughter, Ella. Cut off from all support, controlled and manipulated for years, Chelsea has no resources and no one to turn to. Her wealthy, narcissistic mother, Patricia, would rather focus on the dust on her chandelier than acknowledge Chelsea’s bruises. After all, Patricia’s life looks perfect on the surface, too.

But the façade crumbles when a mysterious condition overtakes the nation. Known as the Violence, it causes the infected to experience sudden, explosive bursts of animalistic rage and attack anyone in their path. The ensuing chaos brings opportunity for Chelsea—and inspires a plan to liberate herself and her family once and for all.

This synopsis is just the beginning. So much more unfolds after this point. As you peel back the layers of trauma Chelsea and Patricia suffered at the hands of men, you realize why they act the way they do. And they are excellent dynamic characters who barely resemble their earlier selves. This isn’t an “all men are bad” book, either. As the story progresses, we meet some incredible men and non-binary characters who support these extraordinary ladies. I really loved this book, not just because of the dystopian/horror aspect, but because these characters will stay with me for a long time.

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Little Eve

Title: Little Eve

Author: Catriona Ward

Genre: horror

Thank you, NetGalley, for this book.

This book is the third of Catriona Ward’s that I’ve gotten from NetGalley. The Last House on Needless Street was one of the best I read in 2021. And Sundial was delightfully disturbing. So, when I saw she had a new book out, I knew I had to read it. And wow, was this one excellent. Last House is still my favorite of hers, but this one was outstanding.

From Goodreads: On the wind-battered isle of Altnaharra, off the wildest coast of Scotland, a clan prepares to bring about the end of the world and its imminent rebirth.

The Adder is coming, and one of their number will inherit its powers. They all want the honor, but young Eve is willing to do anything for the distinction.

A reckoning beyond Eve’s imagination begins when Chief Inspector Black arrives to investigate a brutal murder, and their sacred ceremony goes terribly wrong.

And soon all the secrets of Altnaharra will be uncovered.

This description doesn’t even begin to explain how insane this book is. Altnaharra’s secrets are plentiful, right down to the cellar where atrocities occur. The story jumps narrators and time periods, so it’s important to keep track and who and when you are in the story. I’m having a hard time explaining anything without spoilers because so much occurs that is better revealed as you read. But, like Ward’s other books, so much happens that you don’t see coming. She’s a master of writing the subtle plot twist. I absolutely recommend all her books. She’s a fantastic writer, and I can’t wait to read her next.

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Lone Women

Title: Lone Women

Author: Victor LaValle

Genre: historical horror

Thank you, NetGalley, for this book.

I read The Devil in Silver by Victor LaValle a while ago and admit that I didn’t find it all that great. The book couldn’t decide what genre it wanted to be. However, this book is solidly horror. Not graphic or anything, but horror with a touch of fantasy. Oh, and it takes place in 1915, so it’s historical as well. That said, the horror plotline is consistent throughout.

From Goodreads:

Adelaide Henry carries an enormous steamer trunk with her wherever she goes. It’s locked at all times. Because when the trunk opens, people around Adelaide start to disappear.

The year is 1915, and Adelaide is in trouble. Her secret sin killed her parents, forcing her to flee California in a hellfire rush and make her way to Montana as a homesteader. Dragging the trunk with her at every stop, she will become one of the “lone women” taking advantage of the government’s offer of free land for those who can tame it—except that Adelaide isn’t alone. And the secret she’s tried so desperately to lock away might be the only thing that will help her survive the harsh territory.

Crafted by a modern master of magical suspense, Lone Women blends shimmering prose, an unforgettable cast of adventurers who find horror and sisterhood in a brutal landscape, and a portrait of early-twentieth-century America like you’ve never seen. And at its heart is the gripping story of a woman desperate to bury her past—or redeem it.

This book comes out in March, so if you are a horror fan, mark your calendars. Coming in at just 240 pages, I got through this one in a couple of days. I loved Adelaide and was cheering for her the entire time. The “burden” she carries is immense, but how she reckons with it is admirable. She is a great dynamic character whose shifts make sense. And LaValle does an excellent job of keeping the reader guessing. The book starts off with a bang, and you are immediately drawn in. This is one I’ll definitely be recommending.

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Sundial

Title: Sundial

Author: Catriona Ward

Genre: horror

Thank you, NetGalley, for this book.

I LOVED The Last House on Needless Street. It was one of the best books I read that year. Top 10. So, when I saw that Ward had another book coming out, I knew it was going to be one I was going to read. And, even better, I got this one from NetGalley to review. This one wasn’t quite as good as Needless, but I still enjoyed it and will recommend it.

From Goodreads:

All Rob wanted was a normal life. She almost got it, too: a husband, two kids, a nice house in the suburbs. Far from her childhood home, Sundial, hidden deep in the wild Mojave Desert.

But beneath the veneer, Rob is terrified for her oldest daughter, Callie, who collects tiny bones and whispers to imaginary friends. Rob sees a darkness in Callie, one that reminds her too much of the family she left behind.

Running from her past has led her directly back to it — what’s buried at Sundial could never stay a secret forever, and Rob must risk one last trip out there to protect her family, and her future.

I had no idea what was going to happen in this story. Callie seems to be so disturbed. But so does Rob because her marriage is pretty rough. The way she and her husband interact is far from healthy. And when she can Callie get to Sundial, the real story begins. We learn about Rob’s childhood. She tells it in bits and pieces, so the true horror doesn’t come for a while. The best thing about this book is that I never knew what was coming around the next turn. The characters are so unhinged that anything was possible. Ward is 2 for 2 in my book, and I’ll definitely be looking for more from her.

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Horseman

Title: Horseman

Author: Christina Henry

Genre: horror

Thank you, NetGalley for this book.

I’ve only recently become aware of Christian Henry’s work, specifically her Alice series. I’ve heard great things about it and have added it to my TBR. I had completely forgotten that I had this book from NetGalley, so when it turned up as my next read, I was really excited to see if all the hype was real. And, wow, it was. This book was so creative and fun.

From Goodreads: Everyone in Sleepy Hollow knows about the Horseman, but no one really believes in him. Not even Ben Van Brunt’s grandfather, Brom Bones, who was there when it was said the Horseman chased the upstart Crane out of town. Brom says that’s just legend, the village gossips talking.

Twenty years after those storied events, the village is a quiet place. Fourteen-year-old Ben loves to play Sleepy Hollow boys, reenacting the events Brom once lived through. But then Ben and a friend stumble across the headless body of a child in the woods near the village, and the sinister discovery makes Ben question everything the adults in Sleepy Hollow have ever said. Could the Horseman be real after all? Or does something even more sinister stalk the woods?

I love that this story was told from a kid’s perspective. Ben is a strong character with specific ideas and goals. You really root for Ben throughout the book. I’ve only read Sleepy Hollow once or twice and don’t remember much but that didn’t cause me any issues. As long as you have the general gist that a headless horseman terrorizes the town of Sleepy Hollow, running off the schoolteacher Ichabod Crane, you’re set. I really enjoyed this book. It’s categorized as horror, but it’s not super scary or graphic. It really could be a YA book, even. Ben is a great character that you just love and respect. I will definitely be checking out more of Henry’s books.